British Columbia Chapter
INTRODUCTION
The Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to building and supporting the highest quality open source geospatial software. The foundation's goal is to encourage the use and collaborative development of community-led projects. OSGeo BC is the proposed Local Chapter of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation.
Scope: OSGeo BC would form a locus of interaction for the open source geospatial community in British Columbia. This community would include any individual with any interest in open source geospatial processes, applications, software, data, hardware, networks, etc…
MISSION
(under revision)
OSGeo BC establishes a focal point for liaison, outreach, and technical interests within the geography of British Columbia
Liaison Committee
- Officially representing OSGeo BC with OSGeo Board, OSGeo Branches, government departments, or academic institutions…
- Taking responsibility for the strategies in planning and developing OSGeo BC, and networking with organizations to enlist participation and support for OSGeo
- Committing organizational support to operate OSGeo BC (e.g. facilities, sponsorships, etc…)
Outreach Committee
- Creating and managing OSGeo BC official website, including : regular updates, meeting announcements, workshops and training, FAQ, mailing lists and wiki
- Managing OSGeo BC Directory List for consulting, solutions delivery, managed services, software development, and technical support and job opportunities
- Increasing awareness about open source GIS solutions and promoting adoption in education, research, industry, government, and non-profit organizations through local technical supports.
- Encouraging local technical contributions to OSGeo projects
Technical Committee
- Software processes
- Promotional demo development
- Software Packaging and Customization for local and regional needs
- Training, Support and Development of e-Learning Contents in local languages
- Supporting open standards and open access to geospatial data
OBJECTIVES
(under revision)
Semi-Annual Meetings:
- Presentations (1 hour)
- Social Gathering (1 hour)
- Committee work (1 hour)
Collaborative Project:
- OSGeo BC Promotional demo development
- OSGeo Requirements gathering
- OSGeo/OGC Requirements gathering
- OSGeo Usability evaluation
Regional Events:
- Conference participation
- Invited speaking engagements
- Demonstration activities
Communication:
- Mailing Lists
- Wiki Development
- Quarterly or Semi Annual-Meetings (TBD)
- Vancouver/Victoria rotations with video conferencing
Legal Status:
- None
MEMBERSHIP
Anyone who wants to help support our mission is free to become a member. Members are self-identifying, so list yourself on our membership page and you're in!
Apart from this egalitarian system, we have created posts for President and VP. The main responsibilies of the incubments are to act as primary and secondary liason with the parent OSGeo organisation, and to facilitate communication within the group. These posts are elected annually, and are currently (as of November 15 2007) filled by:
- President: Martin Kyle
- Vice-President: Jason Birch
We also have two local organising groups in Victoria and Vancouver (more welcome!) who have their own Chair positions:
- Victoria Chair:
- Vancouver Chair:
MEETINGS
(in reverse chronological order)
Our meetings are not restricted to members. We encourage you to come along and see why open source geospatial is getting so much attention, and how it can help you do business more efficiently. Make sure to RSVP if you plan to attend.
2008 February 22 (Victoria host)
PRESENTATION IDEAS
Yes, we're all shy, retiring types, but the work we do on a daily basis is incredibly interesting to others who are trying to do the same work with open source geospatial software, data, and open standards. We'd love the chance to hear what you're working on and, who knows, maybe you'll get some feedback that makes it even better!